TUCSON--South Carolina (41-27) pitcher Joyce McMillin (14-9) scattered six
hits and hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to give USC a
cushion in a 7-4 NCAA Region 2 softball victory over Illinois State (27-33).

The loss eliminated Illinois State, which appeared in its third NCAA
Tournament. USC was to play Nebraska immediately afterward for a berth in
the regional title game against Arizona on Sunday.

ISU's Becky McMurtry opened the scoring with a two-out solo home run in
the first. Jamie Bagnall followed with a triple, and then scored on Bridget
Fournie's single to put the Redbirds up 2-0.

South Carolina answered with a run in the third on a leadoff double by
Jodi Fittro and an RBI single by Debralee Troesch, then tied the game in
the fourth with a double by Megan Donohoo and a triple by Fittro.

The Lady Gamecocks went up 5-3 in the fifth on a two-run double by
Adrienne Genovese and a run-scoring single by Kim Schultze. But in the
bottom of the inning ISU pulled within one with an RBI double by Jodie Kent
and an infield error which allowed Kent to score.